Arginine and other basic amino acids have been proposed for use in oral care and are believed to have significant benefits in combating cavity formation and tooth sensitivity. It is believed that basic amino acids in the oral cavity are metabolized by certain types of bacteria, e.g., S. sanguis which are not cariogenic and which compete with cariogenic bacteria such as S. mutans, for position on the teeth and in the oral cavity. The arginolytic bacteria can use arginine and other basic amino acids to produce ammonia, thereby raising the pH of their environment, while cariogenic bacteria metabolize sugar to produce lactic acid, which tends to lower the plaque pH and demineralize the teeth, ultimately leading to cavities.
The treatment of the oral cavity with arginine is presently accomplished with dentifrice compositions, e.g., DenClude®. Food and drink products formulated with arginine are also proposed. Although the beneficial effect of arginine in the oral cavity may linger for minutes or hours following treatment, e.g., brushing teeth, chewing gum, or ingesting arginine enriched foods, it is desirable to develop other compositions and devices which deliver arginine to the oral cavity, e.g., in conjunction with arginine containing compositions, or alone.
Instruments for use in the oral cavity are well known in the art, and include, e.g., tooth brushes, tongue scrapers, dental floss, dental picks, mouth guards, and orthodontic corrective devices, e.g., braces and retainers. Although such instruments may be treated with a basic amino acid, the basic amino acid may leach or erode off the surface of such instruments, requiring repeated treatments which may be time consuming and inconvenient to the user. Treating such instruments is may also be complicated, as incomplete or incorrect treatment may result in too little, or too much basic amino acid being incorporated onto the surface of the instrument. Thus it is desirable to create compositions, devices and methods to overcome these problems.